MUSIC. As a means for training the senses tone study has no rival, because it synchronizes so many of them; in fact, the power of discrimination thus brought to eye, ear, and deeper sensory perception is beyond that produced by any other single subject of instruction. Any scheme of education which fails to appeal to develop all the powers and functions of the human mind or which does not direct their use in ways enjoyable to the individual and helpful to the community misses its aim. Music opens the way to a new world of joy. The first requirement for musical training in the schoolroom is to permit the pupils to hear only good music, aiming constantly in this way to develop musical appreciation. This requires a great deal of skill in the selections, since "rag time" has such a hold on the average individual. The operas and oratorios offer many beautiful and not really difficult suggestions. The waltzes from "Faust," "Traviata," "Tales of Hoffman," etc., and marches from "Lohengrin," "Aida," "William Tell," "Rigoletto," "Gioconda," "Tannhauser," etc., will always be enjoyed and may often be used for rhythmic drills. In selecting songs for the different grades, and particularly for special occasions, preference should be given to those not under the standard set above, such as "Morning Prayer," by Haydn; "May Songs," by Mozart; "Where Daylight Fades Away," by Beethoven; "Home to Our Mountains," from Trovatore; "Over the Summer Sea," from Rigoletto; also the best-known choruses from oratorios and operas, as "The Heavens Are Telling," from the Creation; "Soldiers' Chorus," from Faust; "The Hallelujah Chorus," from the Messiah; "Good Night," from Martha; "Faithful and True," from Lohengrin; "Miserere," from Trovatore. Patriotic songs, as "The Star-Spangled Banner," "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean," and "America" should, of course, receive special attention. The pupils should be able to sing them from memory and at call on any occasion. The aim of this course is to lead children to an interest in singing, to preserve the child voice, to secure the ability to read music at sight, to develop the power to render it correctly and pleasingly, and to cultivate enjoyment and appreciation of good music. GENERAL DIRECTIONS. In class singing strict attention should be given to the following: (a) Always insist on a good, smooth, sweet, light, pure tone. (b) Insist upon prompt and even "attack"; do not permit raggedness and uncertainty in beginning. (c) Give attention to expression, breathing, and distinct phrasing. (d) Pronounce all words clearly, so that a listener can understand them. (e) In teaching pupils to read music, do not have them sing the same song over and over again. Give them something new; do not kill interest and spontaneity by monotony. The following outline is suggestive only. In many cases it may have to be abridged or adapted, since it often happens that a number of grades must be taught together. Success will depend as much upon carefully planned and prepared lessons as upon the ingenuity of the teacher. (a) Great care should be taken to give the right pitch and to have the class reproduce or sound it correctly. Time is equally important. The pupil must perfectly understand the tempo before starting an exercise. (b) In the lower grades especial attention must be given to the elimination of monotones, and a great deal of individual work will need to be done. In nearly all cases, if the work is done carefully, the ear can be trained. This, however, must be done in the first and second grades. Here the foundation must be laid. (c) Breathing exercises: Develop deep breathing through the imagination by sighing for expiration and smelling for inspiration. (d) Vocal drills: Teach the proper mouth formation necessary for the production of a pure, bright, buoyant head tone, using such vowel sounds as "oh," " 00,” ," "ah," "aw," "ee," "u"; also use the syllables "tee, nee, pro," mo, ,""no"; words also may be used. Have the pitch high with the tone apparently located in the front portion of the mouth. 9966 9966 99.66 (e) Exercise for preventing huskiness-humming. (f) Ear training: Recognition of musical effects is the first step in musical training and should continue through every grade. The steps to be considered are: 1. Imitation. 2. Distinction (difference between intervals). 3. Representation (placing on staff what is heard). (g) Interval drill: All interval drills should be light and rapid. Use those intervals indicated on the outlines or the difficult parts of an exercise. The best time for this kind of work is the first part of the period right after the vocal drill. (h) Enunciation: Drill on the consonants, combining them with the vowel sounds "ah," "oh," and "oo." Intone syllables. Exemplify words with singing tones. (i) Rhythm: In the first three grades a great deal of rhythm work should be done. The children may mark the time on their desks, in the air, or on the board in the manner indicated in the outline. Whenever motions suggest themselves to the teacher they may be given to the children in correct time. The pupils should be allowed to use their arms and bodies freely in acquiring the feeling of rhythm. (j) Gesture: Exemplify in dramatization, games, motion songs, plays for costuming; avoid exercises that are strenuous and noisy. (k) Songs: Short, fresh, musical rote songs, in concert and individually. Greeting songs, calling songs, morning or evening songs, nature songs, boating songs, songs from Mother Goose, nonsense jingles, etc. Teach words and music simultaneously, phrase by phrase. (7) Story: To be told to the pupils by the teacher. Select stories of great musicians, great musical events, or great musical numbers. (m) Written work: The practice work for the ear training should be rapid and frequent, also the drill in placing notes in a new key. The formal written lessons and examinations, however, should be at stated intervals. In the latter great care should be taken with all details, making the clef, sharps, flats, and notes. FIRST GRADE. The aim in this grade should be to train the voice and ear. This is done mainly by imitation, in taking up the rote songs. Individual work should be done with every pupil. Vocal drills, simple interval work, and rhythm exercises are given in connection with the songs. The interval work at first is sung entirely with "loo" or "la," later with the words. Rhythm exercises by note in the different kinds of time are taken first, then later this work is applied to the rote songs. Simple exercises and note songs are taken up the last three months of the year. There are many beautiful songs suitable to the age of first-grade pupils affording exercises in ear training, rhythm, and the cultivation of sweet and truly musical voices. Use songs of nature, seasons, trades, games, home, etc. All selections used should be melodious, yet simple in tonality, limited in range, but distinct in rhythm. In all musical exercises of the lower grades give especial attention to: Quality of the voice: Secure bright, clear, sweet tones of rather high pitch. Rhythm: Establish accent by clapping hands, tapping on desk, mark time to count, marching, making long and short lines on blackboard, making imaginary lines, gesture, dance movements (folk dances and games). Ear training: Calls of street, home, children's names, sounds of nature in wood, plain, or water; sing scale songs with words; sing scale by "loo" and syllables; sing scale in relation to 8, also in relation to 1; sing tones of tonic chord; teach half and quarter notes; teach staff by simple devices; use musical games to test ability of children; individual work with monotones, humming. By the end of the first year the pupil should be familiar with the scale in several positions on the staff and he should sing freely any simple tone combination at sight. He should recognize the scale when he hears it. He should be able to give the syllable named to simple tone combinations which the teacher sings to him. His experience in song singing should be rich and varied. Those songs which each child likes best should be his personal repertoire for individual singing. SECOND GRADE. The rote song is continued; also the work of the first grade in vocal, interval, ear training, and rhythm drills. Exercises and note songs are taken during the entire year. The keys of C, G, and F are particularly studied; the children are taught to name the lines and spaces, and place the scales on the staff. Develop deep breathing through the imagination such as smelling for inspiration and sighing for expiration, etc. Do this with and without arm movements; also while sitting and while standing. Cultivate intent listening through imitative work. Show relation of song and speech by greeting pupils, calling their names, tone matching, etc. Show that musical pitch and varying pitch in speaking rob speech of monotony and add interest, pleasure, life, and expression to speaking. Use chart and blackboard for drill in recognition work. Have children sing from scale ladder, hand staff, or motion of hand. Have children read simple phrases from staff in different keys and time. Make transition from board to book, placing melody on board and then singing from the book. Secure good quality of voice at all times. Give pitch frequently and softly. Have individual work frequently. THIRD GRADE. Vocal, interval, ear training, and rhythm drills are continued. Interval work is mainly based on songs and exercises. Sight-reading exercises, studies, and songs are taken up. Pupils should be able to sing at sight simple songs and exercises, to define nine keys, to tell the meaning of time signatures, to mark the rhythm, to write intervals and scales. Develop musical thought. Note the emotional charactertistics, rhythm, tempo, length of tones, relative pitch, etc. Emphasize expression. Teach names of lines and spaces of the staff; the keys c, f, g, d, and b flat; notes and rests-whole, half, quarter, and dotted; and time-double, triple, and common time. Have rapid interval drill from board, chart, and book. Drill on tonic, dominant, and subdominant chords. Continue individual work. Give especial attention to untrue voices. The use of "rounds" may be begun. FOURTH GRADE. Vocal, interval, ear training, and rhythm drills continued. Study of intermediate tones is begun. A great deal of rapid written work is done. Two-part work is begun. Continue drills on chords as set forth for third grade. Give especial attention to untrue voices. Read phrases or groups of notes with "loo" or "la " to teach tone tion of musical memory. Write from memory. Read phrases or groups of notes with "loo" or "la" to teach tone groups. Teach the staff, the bar, the clef, keys, etc., and have pupils write same, also have them write short musical phrases. Introduce two-part music by using the tones of a chord; teacher may sustain a tone while the pupils sing the tones of the chord. Sing simple exercises in two parts, having all pupils learn to sing both parts. Interval work and other drills continued; give much rapid, skipping interval practice. Intermediate tones and chromatic scale. Much two-part and some three-part mark. Marks of expression. Singing simple selections in a more "finished manner. Names of notes on lines, spaces, and added lines and spaces on the staff. Both clefs D, C, fine, repetition marks. Sight reading, give abundant exercise. |